Emptying the playbook on a Thursday morning ...

n In case you missed it, Gordon Riese, the replay official who whiffed on the on-side kick call at the end of last week's Oklahoma-Oregon game, has been granted a leave of absence by the Pac-10 for the rest of the season. I have all the sympathy in the world for Riese, who did nothing to deserve the death threats he reportedly received after his ruling incorrectly upheld an on-field decision to award Oregon the ball. That said, I don't think Riese, 64 and a retired Pac-10 official, should return to the booth again. With so many camera angles and replays available, his negligence on the call is baffling. The ball was clearly and illegally touched by Oregon before it went 10 yards, and even it wasn't Oklahoma obviously recovered. I cut the on-field officials a bit more slack because of the speed of the game, but Riese and his partner, Roger Judd, should be held accountable for a decision that likely cost Oklahoma its chance at a BCS bid.

n I was asked Sunday how I as a top-25 voter view the game. Do I give Oklahoma credit for a win they should have had, or do I penalize the Sooners as I would any other loss? I moved Oregon up in my poll to 14 and dropped Oklahoma a few spots to 16. I didn't penalize the Sooners too heavily, but a loss in the record book is a loss in my eyes, too.

n With Separation Saturday in the books, we can all turn our attention to Sanitation Saturday. A week after seven top-25 teams squared off in a great day of college football, there's some real stinkers on the docket this weekend. Only two games involve two top-25 teams, and one of those - No. 24 Penn State at top-ranked Ohio State - features a 17-point spread.

n Fortunately, around these parts there's still plenty to be excited about. Michigan opens Big Ten play against Wisconsin and some people are incorrectly expecting a letdown. Across town at Michigan State there's Flag-gate, sniping between coaches, the top two NFL quarterback prospects and a 40-year anniversary to celebrate. Oh, and MSU and Notre Dame just may play some football, too.

n Speaking of the anniversary, it's good to see MSU back in the good graces with Bubba Smith. The legendary defensive end had a falling out with the school a few years back reportedly because he wasn't allowed in the press box without the proper credentials. MSU coach John L. Smith has extended a hand to many former players in recent years. Expect to see more numbers like Smith's 95 retired in coming seasons.